Skip Beat! The Remake!
by mipandayew
Summary: What if Kyoko has been abused physically by her mother since young and mentally by Sho though she has no idea till it's too late ? What happens then when she is abandoned by Sho? Where does she go & who takes her in? This is the DARK version of Skip Beat meaning characters are OOC
1. Chapter 1: Take Off!

_**This is my version of Skip Beat! If you're looking for happy, cheerful, optimism then read the manga or my other (half-dead) fanfic! You will not find any of those things in this story! It is supposed to be dark and sad though not a tragedy! (Hate those...)**_

_***Disclaimer* **_

_**I do not own Skip Beat or any of the characters (well except some)! And I would like to thank the scanlation groups that translated skip beat (or else I would have no idea what each character was saying)! **_

_**Anyways enough chit-chat, just read already :)**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Take Off!<strong>

_A long time ago, God created a box within every human being...This box had an infinite number of locks which could only be opened by the individual. Once God had placed a box in every individual, they are then born into the world. The contents of the box will always be hidden until the right moment unveils itself and the locks will be opened one at a time..._

"Okay, well I'll repeat your order to you again. A double cheeseburger, medium fries and a bottle of cola."

_A young cheerful woman who seems happy with her life... She lives in Tokyo, Japan independently._

"Plus a teriyaki burger, a fish filet and a cola. Is that right?"

With a smile the girl looked up at the customers in front of her. They nodded before handing her a few bills.  
>She was just tapping it into the register when someone grabbed her on the arm. She jerked her hand away instantly and felt the familiar tinge of fear.<br>Her co-worker did not seem to realize as she tried to catch her breath.

"Kyoko, I'm so sorry for being late! You can take a break now. Leave your shift to me!"

Kyoko smiled as she nodded and untied the apron from around her. She took one more glimpse at the already frantic worker before walking out the back door. There were a few people who expressed their gratitude to her as she walked past. Kyoko merely smiled at them. When she stepped out onto the street, she raised her wrist to check the time. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Damn, it's ten past five already! I'm going to be late to my next job at Darumayu!"

Immediately Kyoko took off running. The world around her became a blur when suddenly her feet fell from under her and she toppled head first onto the ground. Fortunately her hands braced the fall. She felt a sharp sting of pain on her left knee and knew there would be a bruise. With a sigh, Kyoko stood up with the help of a nearby pole.

"From now on, Sho is the only one for me!"

The voice caught Kyoko's attention and she turned her eyes to the side to see two girls standing in front of television screens. The screens were broadcasting a young blonde-haired singer with brown eyes. When the singer winked at the camera, the two girls squealed not noticing the girl who was drooling behind them.

"Oh, I recognize him! He's Fuwa Sho, the newest Tokyo heartthrob! All his albums have been selling lately!" The other girl said before a look of confusion appeared on her face.

"Hang on Cary, weren't you obsessed with Ren?" The girl called Cary shrugged. "I've converted to Sho! Besides, Sho is way cuter and a better singer!" Cary giggled while the other girl looked shocked and all the time they were both oblivious to the girl nodding fervently in agreement behind them.

"How could you say Sho is better than Ren? You cannot say that Ren is a worse singer than Sho! We have never even heard him sing before!" The other girl exclaimed. Cary merely rolled her eyes.

"Well it is obvious that Ren sings worse! I mean if he can't even publicly show his voice then it probably isn't even any good! Besides I'm all Sho now." Cary said with another giggle as she started walking away with the other girl arguing beside her.

Kyoko waited until they were out of her sight before limping towards the screens. The wink replayed again and Kyoko squealed to herself. "I am all yours, Sho~." Kyoko whispered as she giggled and raised a hand towards the screen. Suddenly she caught sight of the time on her watch and screamed. "Boss is going to kill me!" With her long orange hair blowing in her face, Kyoko quickly ran as fast as she could while ignoring the burning pain in her leg.

Fifteen minutes later saw her collapsed on the floor in one of the bedrooms upstairs of the Darumayu. Mary, the wife of the owner of Darumayu was patting Kyoko's back while holding a glass of water to her lips. "Your persistence really is impeccable, Kyoko but you did not need to push yourself that hard! A trip that would usually take forty minutes only took you fifteen plus you have an injured foot!" Mary said as she sighed and placed the glass on the floor. There were a few moments of silence before Kyoko unsteadily sat up and started pulling her hair into a side ponytail. Her leg had become swollen in the pants she wore.

"You will not be able to work like this, Kyoko." Mary said with a slight frown as she moved a hand to touch the swollen leg but Kyoko shuffled slightly backwards. "No, I can work..." Kyoko said weakly as she paused momentarily. "If I take even one day off, I will not be able to pay the rent."

Mary was silent at Kyoko's answer and she felt her heart ache for the poor child. "Is the place you live in so expensive ? You told me you have a few other jobs as well. Kyoko, are you living alone?" Mary asked. Kyoko immediately stiffened but did not reply.

After a minute of silence, Mary sighed quietly. "Well I guess it's okay as I'm sure you need it." She said as she glanced at the girl in front of her. "But whatever your reasons may be, coming to Tokyo right after middle-school, working all day without going to high-school, Kyoko there's something definitely wrong with that!" Mary exclaimed trying to keep her voice calm. She cared for the girl almost like a daughter. "An adolescent girl...with such dishevelled hair and skinny figure everyday...Kyoko, don't you want to try being like other girls and go shopping, do your hair and makeup?" Mary asked softly.

Kyoko felt a sting of pain that came not from her leg but her heart. There was a time when she believed in Cinderella stories and the like. It was her dream to become a princess. _That was when I was younger...While growing up I found out that beauty cannot be obtained for free...Nothing is free..._

Kyoko closed her eyes and leaned against the wall of the elevator as the doors opened at her floor. The night air sent chills down her spine as she stepped out. Arriving at her door slower than usual due to her leg, Kyoko realized that the lights were on and her heart started pounding loudly against her chest. _Could it be...? Could he be home? _Kyoko took a few deep breaths as she grasped the handle of the door tightly and turned it. _My prince..._

Kyoko immediately gasped when she saw the figure. "Sho~!" She squealed happily as she skipped towards him. He turned to her with a disgusted expression. "Don't yell so loudly! The neighbours will hear!" Sho hissed with a frown before turning back to the cupboard. Kyoko merely continued giggling. Sho and her were childhood friends. Ever since she was young, her mother would always find some excuse to leave her with Sho's family. They grew up together so Kyoko pretty much knew what made Sho click.

"Sho~, have you eaten dinner yet?" Kyoko asked taking a few steps closer. "Would you like me to make something for you?" She asked, dumping her work bag and a bag of groceries on the floor. "Why wouldn't I have eaten yet? Do you know what time it is? It's eleven already." Sho replied without turning around to face Kyoko.

He stood up and walked over to the fridge. It was then that Kyoko's stomach released its anger. She cringed in embarrassment and sneaked a glance at Sho who did not seem to notice.

"Why is there no beer in the fridge?" Sho asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice. Kyoko seemed a bit taken aback by his tone. "B-But I don't drink beer." There were a few moments of silence before Kyoko took a few more steps closer to Sho. "I tried calling you a few times but it always led to your voicemail...and you never tell me when you come home so-" Kyoko stopped mid-sentence when she saw the death stare that Sho threw at her over his shoulder. "Are you saying it is my fault then?" He asked angrily causing Kyoko to tremble slightly. She shook her head quickly. Once Sho turned his back to her, Kyoko heaved a sigh of relief.

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><p><strong><em>So how was that?<em>**

**_ It doesn't really give much hint to what lies ahead but just a heads up the first few chapters are just like the introduction so it might seem repetitive especially if you just started reading the manga_**

**_Btw I have already planned the way I want the story to go already so you can be sure this ain't ending for a long time! Practically it will end when Skip Beat the manga ends :P or I might have my own ending...depends :S This story will have a lot of changes yet it will still follow the manga to some aspects._**

**_Please rate and review :D_**

**_P.S. About my other skip beat fanfic, I will be updating that in a few days but I have already lost all inspiration for that because it was something I wrote in the moment which is something I never do...I usually plan a story out in advance in case some ideas don't work. _**


	2. Chapter 2: Real Thoughts

_**Okay, so bear with the repetitiveness for one more chapter people! But I do hope that the little things I have changed make the repeating scenes a little more interesting :P well they were there on purpose anyway ;)**_

_**Actually I was going to name this chapter Real Feelings but decided to leave that for another future chapter :P so that's why it's called Real Thoughts...**_

_**Anyways enjoy! *I do not own twilight eek! I mean skip beat! (why the hell was I thinking of twilight?) xD***_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Real Thoughts<strong>

Everything was so different now than they used to be. Sho was so much kinder when they both first arrived in Tokyo. _It must be his company...Since he's famous now they're telling him to do this and that! Sho hates being controlled by others especially his family...That's why he left Kyoto._

_Sho is the only son of the owner of the main branch of a big, prominent old Japanese inn-chain. Whenever it came to discussion of his future, the argument with his parents was never-ending. Sho wanted to become a wealthy and famous musician while his father wanted him to take over the family business and settle down with a nice girl. That option was almost as bad as death to Sho so he thought about it deeply. Aiming to be the star he was born to be, he decided to head to Tokyo..._

"If I stay in that house any longer, my parents are going to force me to marry some plain, boring local girl! It's horrible! I can't put up with this any longer!" Sho had said for perhaps the hundredth time. He then turned towards me. "Kyoko...would you come with me?"

I was stunned and surprised at the same time. He just provided me with the option to run away from my dreadful life and live with him alone. Without thinking, I agreed.

_It has been a few years now and Sho has become a top-selling artist. I am very proud of him though his attitude has changed..._

It was the shuffling of boots that brought Kyoko out of her reverie. She blinked and saw Sho putting on his shoes getting ready to leave. Kyoko started to panic. _Is he leaving so soon? I haven't seen him in such a long time...Can't he stay just one night...? _

"Sho, are you leaving again?" Kyoko asked, forcing her voice to come out firm. He glanced up at her briefly before standing up and walking briskly past her to the door. "I just came to get a change of clothes." He said in reply. Kyoko's eyes widened as she racked her brains frantically. _I have to make him stay! I don't want to be alone today..._

Suddenly she remembered something and quickly dove to the nearby grocery bag. "Sho, don't leave! I bought some chestnut pudding for you!" Kyoko exclaimed as she held up the tiny box in her hand. Sho immediately stopped in his tracks and swallowed deeply before walking back into the house.

Kyoko hummed happily as she watched Sho devour the tiny pudding on the plate hungrily. He was talking over the television and in between mouthfuls, telling her how inconvenient it is for him to go buy the pudding because of his fame and how unkind it was to ask someone to buy it for him.

Kyoko merely nodded her head in agreement as she opened up yet another box. She then decided to tell him about the two girls she saw today and how one of them was now his fan. At that, Sho abruptly stood up and punched the air in triumph. "Yes, I got one of that jerk's fans! I will soon be number one!"

It was then that the television program announced its special guest. As soon as the name came out, Sho fell back against the floor in shock and Kyoko stared at the screen with wide eyes.

"Tsuruga Ren, how does it feel to be the TOP GUY of the entertainment world?" The announcer asked. The idol merely chuckled in reply. "In a recent survey of women in their early twenties, Tsuruga Ren, you were chosen as the best guy they wanted to be embraced by! Here are the results!" The screen changed to a list of sorts. Tsuruga Ren's name was indeed first on the list. Sho immediately sat up and scanned the list to find his name which was seventh.

He sat staring at the screen for a few moments before abruptly standing up and walking out of the house while slamming the door behind him. Kyoko called after him but he ignored her.

She felt tears fall down her cheek. "And now a question all your female fans would love to know: What kind of person is your ideal woman?" The announcer on the program continued speaking. Tsuruga Ren chuckled before his expression became thoughtful. "She will have to be gentle yet strong on the inside...I suppose." He quickly added at the end with a big smile. Kyoko immediately switched off the television with the remote nearby.

"I did not want to be alone tonight..." Kyoko muttered to herself as the tears flowed freely down her cheek. "Stupid Sho..."

[***]

"When you have finished recording your message, please press the hash key."

Kyoko hesitated into the receiver when she heard the beep. She did not know what to say. "Sho..." She said before pausing. "I'm sorry about last night and making you angry..." _Wait, what am I apologizing for...? It was entirely his fault! _Kyoko swallowed deeply before continuing.

"You do know that to me you are much more cooler than Tsuruga Ren." _Is he? Really? _"Even if other girls do not understand...I understand! You're always number one to me." Kyoko exclaimed when she heard the beep signalling the end of recording time. _I wonder if he'll buy that..._

Kyoko exited the phone booth in her work uniform with a huge bandage on her leg covered by her pants and picked up the lunchbox she had prepared. She had no work at Darumayu today so she decided to visit Sho since he will be singing with his band live. When she had arrived at the destination, there were girls everywhere. Some were crying with joy and others with sadness. Kyoko felt a sense of achievement as she walked into the building after the guards let her through. _Out of all the girls, he chose me...Sho chose me so I will wait...Where Sho is I will be as well. _Kyoko smiled as she walked down the corridor. Suddenly a familiar voice floated to her ears.

"She said 'Even if other girls do not understand...I understand. You're always number one to me.'" A snigger followed the words. "That coming from her is not something to be proud of!"

Kyoko felt a sharp stab of pain where her heart rested. She willed herself forward and peered cautiously around the corner. There sitting comfortably next to a model-like woman was Sho. "Aren't you being a bit harsh, Sho? Until now, that girl has been working hard to make a living for herself and you...I would think she deserves some kind of respect." The woman said as she took a big drag from her cigarette.

Sho looked positively hurt at the woman's words. "Hey, we're talking about me here! You don't expect the great prince of ryoukans to clean rooms and cook, do you?" Sho asked as he folded his arms across his chest. "Do you think that I could live in Tokyo by myself?"

The woman leaned forward and placed her cigarette on the side of the glass bowl. "So you brought her here as...a maid?" She asked in disbelief. Sho shook his head. "There's no need for the questioning tone. It has always been this way since we were kids. She did whatever I wanted her to do. If it wasn't because of that I would never have chosen her to come along with me." Sho said as he raised his glass of wine to his lips.

Kyoko stared on in disbelief. She could not believe what she was hearing. _'Kyoko...would you come with me?' _She could feel tears in her eyes threatening to fall. _Ever since the beginning..._

"Anyway I did not force her to come. I simply asked her, it was a question! Then she agreed without any hesitation. It's only natural she work for me since I hate any other work beside music." Sho said with a shrug as he leaned back against the couch.

_It was all another lie..._

Then she heard it. The sound of a key shifting in a lock. The clicking of the lock as it opened reverberated through her whole body followed by many other clicks.

"Since you can survive on your own finances now, why don't you send her back?" The woman asked folding her legs delicately on top of each other. Sho smirked in reply. "Okay, I will send her back to Kyoto as long as..." Sho paused as he manoeuvred himself to sit on the woman's lap. "Shoko-san, you take care of me." Sho said in a low voice as he bent his head towards the woman who had her arms folded. She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well I'm already doing that as your manager. You come to my house and stay over every night, hardly ever going home." Shoko said with a sigh. Sho's smirk widened. "After all, you are my type of woman. If it were up to my parents, they would have ignored my wants and tried to marry me to Kyoko to take over the inn." Sho said leaning back.

'_If I stay in that house any longer, my parents are going to force me to marry some plain, boring local girl! It's horrible!' _Kyoko's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "He was talking about me..." She muttered to herself quietly. The sound of hundreds of locks falling to the ground rang in her ears loudly.

"You have to be kidding me? That dull and unattractive girl?" Shoko asked before shaking her head in disbelief when Sho nodded.

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><p><strong><em>Well that's the scene done! Next chapter is when things will change! Though I do have to say in advance that this IS a remake so a lot of things will follow the manga and seem repetitive. I mean sure a picture can say a thousand words but isn't reading the small little boring parts in between also interesting?<em>**


	3. Chapter 3: Crash Landing

_**Just before you start reading, it would be nice to note that Kyoko is very OOC in this story. I guess I should have said that at the beginning but yea...oh and Ren as well (a little bit)**_

_**Well, here you go! The chapter you all have been waiting for! **_

_***Again I do not own Skip beat! Do I have to say this every chapter?***_

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Crash Landing...<strong>

Kyoko found herself unable to breathe. _Everything was a lie from the beginning! _She threw her head into her hands and grabbed at her hair, messing up her ponytail. The locks were all gone and the lid snapped open to reveal a demon resembling Kyoko with 'hate' imprinted on its chest. It cackled maniacally as more appeared out of the box, each one representing a piece of Kyoko. There were three angels nearby: love, joy and peace who were cowering in fear as the demons headed towards them. The 'hate' demon moved forward and swallowed the 'love' angel whole.

Kyoko started to laugh, dropping the lunchbox in her hand onto the ground with a loud bang causing both Sho and Shoko to turn towards her in surprise. "Kyoko...?" Sho called hesitantly as he stood up from Shoko's lap. "What? She is your childhood friend?" Shoko asked, her eyes skimming the young girl from head to toe. Kyoko's laughter increased in volume before she abruptly stopped. Two police guards were behind her and one of them attempted to grab her arm. She moved out of the way and pushed the guard against the wall roughly. "You do not know who you are dealing with." Kyoko hissed with a glint in her eye.

Suddenly she felt several pairs of hands grab her. She jerked away causing her shirt to rip in different places revealing scars. Her eyes flared up in anger as she looked at all the guards around her before locking onto a surprised Sho. Kyoko pointed a finger in his direction. "You will regret what you said today. I WILL make you regret it." She exclaimed enunciating each word clearly. Sho quickly straightened himself up and smirked. "If you want revenge on me, try and be at the top of the entertainment world but..." Sho paused for effect. "Obviously, that is impossible for you." He said with a laugh as he waved his hand.

Immediately two of the guards stepped forward and grabbed Kyoko by her arms. She felt that familiar sense of fear and struggled against them to no avail. _Don't cry! _However, Kyoko could already feel her eyes watering as the guards pulled her away forcefully. "There are other ways to get my revenge besides the entertainment world!" Kyoko yelled out as Sho merely gave her a small wave before placing his arm around Shoko's shoulder and walking away. "I love you..." Kyoko whispered as the tears fell down her cheek. She barely realized when the guards tossed her out the back door onto her leg to a deserted alleyway along with an old overcoat.

Kyoko stayed in that alleyway for hours crying. The bandage on her leg was now drenched in her blood. She barely managed to take out a small stone in her pocket that she kept with her at all times. It served as an absorbent of her pain.

Suddenly all the sadness and hurt and pain she had felt all her life came rushing through like a tsunami. The inevitable fact stuck in her mind: She has and always will be alone. Her body started to ache as she remembered the scars and how they all came about. It was all her parents' fault if she could call them parents at all especially her mother for Kyoko had never known her father. Her mother never showed her love or care. For her entire life, Kyoko had to fend for herself from her abusive mother. When she was around it was like Kyoko was treading on a thin sheet of glass that could break at any time.

Tokyo was the key for her when Sho offered to bring her. It was Kyoko's one chance to escape her mother and her beatings. There was a small part of Kyoko that continued to hold on to the hope that her mother might come for her but as years passed so did that hope. It was now no smaller than a grain of sand.

The sadness was overwhelming. Kyoko screamed to let out some of the pain inside her but it just kept building up. She clenched her hand tightly over the stone that her nails and the edge of the rock began to dig into her skin causing blood to seep out. The sky had darkened considerably when Kyoko finally stood up unsteadily with the overcoat around her shoulders. She could no longer feel the pain, only numbness.

Her feet started moving on their own accord, bringing her forward. Kyoko was in a daze as she walked down the street. She could feel the gazes of people passing by her. She lost track of time and place when suddenly she tripped and fell headlong onto the ground. This time, Kyoko's hands did not brace her fall and she did not bother getting up. She just laid there on the floor with her messy hair and tear-stained cheeks. Her eyes were closed and she curled into herself finally feeling the wind. There were whispers around her yet she did not care.

After a few minutes, Kyoko could hear the shuffling of feet walking past her then silence. However she was far too tired to open her eyes. She felt herself being lifted into the air and managed to open her eyes slightly. She saw a tall man with black hair that reached his shoulders with grey eyes to match and a moustache. He whispered something which Kyoko could not hear before her consciousness slipped.

[***]

Lory Takarada was known as eccentric and flamboyant. He didn't mind though because it helped in his image as the president of L.M.E. He had wealth and there was never a problem he could not solve with his intelligence. However, here he was faced with a big issue as he leaned back in his armchair, tossing the documents in his hand onto the desk in front of him.

Kyoko Mogami was the name of the girl he picked up on the street. She was now sleeping in one of the guest rooms in his apartment/office. She piped his curiosity and so he did a bit of background research on her. It surprised Lory that hardly anything came up. The girl was a mystery. All he knew was that she was sixteen and was living in an apartment by herself. She was working at two jobs and had only been in Tokyo for a few years at most. There was no mention of her parents or childhood or anything to give a clue on how she got all those scars on her body. Lory guessed and concluded that the girl had been abused physically and perhaps mentally for quite some time. The question that concerned him the most was: why did she not do anything about it?

Lory was brought out of his thoughts by a piercing scream coming from the guest room. Immediately he stood up and ran to the room, bursting open the door. The girl on the bed was crying and screaming while squirming around asleep. Lory hesitated for he did not know what to do. He took a few steps towards the bed and stretched a hand out. As soon as his hand came in contact with the girl's skin, she screamed again and tumbled out of bed. She then quickly scrambled into a dark corner of the room trembling and crying.

It was a nightmare. The first she had since she came to Tokyo. Her life had finally caught up with her. Kyoko sniffled and looked up into the dark room. It was unfamiliar to her except for the man staring at her at the doorway. She recognized him as the same man who carried her when she was on the street. Kyoko quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and stood up unsteadily.

"Thank you." She whispered as she limped towards him. "I won't intrude any longer." She was just out of the door when the man cleared his throat causing her to stop in her tracks. "If you don't mind, you can continue staying here for as long as you like." The man said gently with a small smile. When Kyoko turned around and saw the concern and sincerity in his expression, her walls collapsed and without thinking she threw her arms around the man.

Lory was surprised when he saw the tears in the girl's eyes as she ran towards him. Soon she was sobbing into his chest. He hesitantly placed his hands on her back softly and felt her instantly tense up. Just when he was about to pull his hands away, she relaxed under his touch. They stayed like that for a few minutes until the sobbing subsided. Lory pulled back slightly and looked Kyoko in her eyes.

She hesitated before speaking. "Is it really alright for me to stay here?" She asked. She really did not want to go back to the apartment where she stayed with Sho. Lory smiled and nodded his head. "If you could just tell me where you live so I can ask someone to transfer your stuff here by tomorrow?" He asked though he already knew the answer but he did not want to scare the girl.

Again Kyoko hesitated before stating the address of her apartment. The man smiled at her before turning her back around towards the room. "My name is Lory Takarada. What can I address you as?" He asked. "Kyoko...Kyoko Mogami..." Kyoko said in a small voice as she sat down on the bed. The man nodded before nudging her gently backwards until she was lying on the bed. He then moved the blankets to cover her body.

"I will be right outside if you need me." Lory said before patting her softly. Just as he turned to leave, Kyoko reached out and grabbed his arm. "Thank you, Lory..." She whispered. Lory smiled and exited the room while closing the door gently behind him. Once outside, the smile disappeared from his face to be replaced with a frown. _That girl did not smile once..._

[***]

When the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window, Kyoko roused from her sleep. She opened her eyes and found herself in a large bed in a huge room. She sat up and looked around. Her leg was now cleaned off and in a cast along with her hand. Surprisingly almost all of her old furniture at the apartment had been transferred overnight to this new house. Kyoko rose from the bed and cringed as her body complained in pain.

With a sigh she opened up the wardrobe to see all her clothes hung and folded neatly inside. She squinted her eyes at the bright colours that greeted her. _Where are all the dark clothes..? Do I not have any? _Kyoko knew the answer straight away and cursed under her breath. Immediately she ripped all the clothes out and tossed them over her shoulder.

Soon she was staring at an entirely empty wardrobe. She huffed in frustration and turned back to the pile of clothes behind her. Kyoko dug through the pile until she found a brown shirt and pair of jeans. Satisfied, she then made her way to the en-suite bathroom.

After half an hour in the shower, Kyoko finally stepped out and dried herself. As she looked at herself in the mirror while blow-drying her hair, she could not deny that she was indeed unattractive. Her orange hair was all over the place and seemed odd in comparison with her pale skin and golden eyes which were not gleaming anymore. Kyoko wanted to change, she needed to change.

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><p><em><strong>There you go! Things will start drifting off for a few chapters. Btw even though I said that this would be a dark story without humor, it seems that there is a little bit of humor mostly caused by Lory. I mean can you imagine him all depressed? There's no fun in that :P But not much, just a little to lighten the mood. <strong>_

_**And I'm having trouble thinking of how to integrate the 'Love-me section' into this story. I mean the uniform is pink :S I doubt the Kyoko in this story would like that...I was thinking of just cutting it out but it plays a massive role in the manga...so i don't know. If you have any ideas, please PM me.**_

_**Anyways please rate and review :D Thanks to all those that did :) I appreciate your support!**_


	4. Chapter 4: Beauty for Money

_**Okay, here is chapter 4! I apologize for the lateness xD Life sucks really...I don't know when I can update again but I'll try :S**_

_**I do not own Skip Beat bcos if I did, the scene in chapter 181 would be a whole lot different ;)**_

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 4: Beauty for Money<span>**

"Well, Miss, with just a cut and a dye, your entire look has changed! I bet you didn't think you could change this much, right?" The hairdresser asked enthusiastically to the young girl in front of her. The girl barely nodded before standing up as the hairdresser dusted her off. They both then walked to the cashier. As the girl handed the money over, the hairdresser looked the girl up and down. "I must say I really love your outfit! The black leather jacket really goes well with the dark red miniskirt plus those knee-high boots are to die for!" The hairdresser swooned as she counted out the change to be given. When she held out the money for the girl to take, the girl swatted it away. "Keep it. After all, beauty cannot be bought without money." With that said, the girl walked out of the salon leaving the hairdresser speechless.

Lory Takarada was overly shocked when he saw the girl enter his office a little past afternoon. "K-Kyoko?" He asked in disbelief as he stood up from behind his desk. The girl nodded her head slowly and kept her eyes down. Lory couldn't believe his eyes. The Kyoko in front of him was entirely different. Instead of the long orange hair she had before, now she had short layered dark blue hair. He almost didn't recognize her. "You look really different!" Lory commented as he walked towards the girl. She looked up at him briefly before looking away. "Is that bad?" Kyoko asked in a small voice. Lory immediately shook his head. "No, I didn't mean it in that way! I think you look beautiful!" He said with a big smile. When Kyoko saw his expression she managed the tiniest and shortest of smiles. Lory opened his arms wide inviting her in for a hug which she hesitantly accepted.

"You should smile more. It makes your whole face light up." Lory said while smoothing down her hair with his hand. Kyoko was still quite tense in his arms. The concept of body touching body was new to Kyoko. She had never been shown this sort of intimate gesture her whole life. Even with Sho, he never touched her.

"I've never felt this before..." Kyoko whispered against Lory's chest. His eyes widened in surprise at her confession. "Y-You mean you have never been hugged before?" He asked in disbelief as he pulled back slightly from her. Kyoko turned her eyes away and nodded shyly. Lory felt his heart ache for the girl. He gently pulled her back into him. "Then I have a lot to show you." He said enthusiastically.

After a few moments, they pulled apart. "Tell me Kyoko, what do you like to do in your free time?" Lory asked as he clasped his hands behind his back. Kyoko became thoughtful before shaking her head sadly. "I...do not have free time. Most of my time is spent working different jobs or..." Her voice faded at the end. She was about to say _his_ name but it brought another wave of pain. Lory struggled to keep his smile in place. "Well then, what is your interest? It can be anything!" Lory said with a smile. Kyoko looked up into his eyes briefly before looking away. "I like singing...and playing music." She said shyly.

Lory clapped his hands happily. "That's wonderful!" He exclaimed before his eyes widened as an idea came to him. "There is somewhere I would like to bring you to. Will you come?" Lory asked as he extended his hand. Kyoko looked at it for awhile before hesitantly placing her hand with his. He smiled at her and led her out of his office.

"Yashiro, what is my schedule for the rest of the day?"

Yashiro quickly fumbled in his suitcase before taking out a diary. He flipped through it, stopping on a page. "Hmm, well Ren, you have a magazine interview in two hours then a photo shoot straight after." Yashiro went on and on but Ren was no longer listening for he had just heard the most heavenly sound. He stopped walking while Yashiro just continued on seemingly not realizing that Ren was no longer beside him.

_You look so dumb right now_

_Standing outside my house_

_Trying to apologize_

_You're so ugly when you cry_

_Please, just cut it out..._

Ren made his way to where he heard the voice. He opened the door quietly to one of the studios and stepped inside. There he saw a girl with short dark blue hair sitting at the black piano and singing. He cautiously stepped towards the dark glass knowing that she could not see him. He found himself mesmerized by her voice. Never had he heard such a beautiful voice...

_Don't tell me you're sorry 'cause you're not_

_Baby when I know you're only sorry you got caught_

_But you put on quite a show_

_Really had me going_

_But now it's time to go_

_Curtain's finally closing_

_That was quite a show_

_Very entertaining_

_But it's over now_

_Go on and take a bow..._

As the last note faded, a lone tear dropped from her eyes. She was still playing but no longer singing. Ren had never seen someone so...broken. For some reason, the girl looked familiar though he was sure he had never seen her before in his life. The girl soon stood up and pulled the cover down onto the piano softly before walking towards the door to the room where Ren was located. He didn't bother to hide as she came into sight. Her eyes widened in surprise and he saw a fleeting glance of panic and fear. "You have a very beautiful voice." Ren said gently with a smile. The girl stared at him for a few moments before turning away shyly. "What is your name?" He asked, taking a few steps towards her. She immediately moved away from him and hesitated. "Kyoko..." She paused and sighed. "Mogami..." She said glancing briefly up at Ren before looking away again.

Ren nodded and smiled. When he gently placed a hand on Kyoko's shoulder, she screamed and jerked away from him against the wall crying. "I'm not going to hurt you." Ren quickly said raising his palms up and taking a step backwards. "I-I'm sorry..." Kyoko said between sobs. She kept repeating those words as she slumped down towards the floor. Ren hesitated for he had no idea what to do. He cautiously stepped towards her and bent down. She immediately stiffened at his close proximity. "I'm not going to hurt you, Kyoko..." Ren whispered in a soft voice. She stared at him intently before nodding her head ever so slightly as she relaxed. Ren gently and very carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. His touch was feather light yet Kyoko still tensed.

After a few minutes, she gave in to his touch and started sobbing again. Ren moved his hand to her back and rubbed it soothingly. Suddenly the door to the studio opened and revealed Lory who was wearing a turban along with baggy pants and a shirt. _Aladdin..._ Ren rolled his eyes at the president's antics. Lory's smile was wide when he entered but as soon as he caught sight of Kyoko crying with Ren comforting her, it disappeared. He quickly ran to her side. "What happened?" Lory asked, looking to Ren for a second before looking back at Kyoko.

Ren shook his head. "I don't know...I just placed my hand on her shoulder and this happened..." He said continuing rubbing Kyoko's shoulder. Lory rolled his eyes and gave Ren a smack on the back of the head causing him to give a yelp of pain. "You are such an idiot!" Lory exclaimed just as Kyoko finally looked up from her arms as Ren's hand moved from her back to rub his head. Upon seeing Lory, Kyoko's eyes widened. He smiled gently at her before opening his arms to which she immediately rushed into. He rubbed her back gently while mouthing the word 'idiot' at Ren who was glaring at him.

"Who is that girl?" Ren asked as he took a seat on one of the long couches in Lory's office after coaxing Kyoko to sleep a few hours ago. Ren had called Yashiro to cancel his schedule for the day. Lory sighed and sat down opposite Ren. "She was a girl I saw on the street." Ren's eyes widened. "Are you a paedophile or what? Picking girls off the street..." Ren shook his head in mock disgust. Lory glared at him. "She was outside of L.M.E when I saw her! If I just left her there, it would go against my nature!" He exclaimed. There were a few moments of silence before Ren spoke. "What happened to her?" He asked softly.

Lory shook his head. "I do not really know. She has not told me anything but I can say that she is physically and mentally broken." He said in a sad voice. Ren's expression changed to one of surprise and he felt anger inside of him. "Where are her parents?" He asked again with a frown. Surely they would know of their daughter's predicament. Before Lory could answer, the shuffling of feet caught the attention of the two men. They turned around to see Kyoko walking towards them. Her appearance surprised them. She was now wearing her pyjamas which consisted of a shirt and shorts. The parts of her body that were bare, revealed dark bruises which stood out in comparison with her pale skin. She looked even more frail and small.

Her eyes were focused on the ground as she took a seat on the armchair between the two men. "I never knew my father." She started before taking a brief glance up at Lory. "Mother never said anything about him. I've lived with my mother ever since young." Kyoko paused as she looked down at her bruises and felt tears well up in her eyes at the memories. Ren moved his hand forward to place it on her hand but a look from Lory stopped him. "These scars and bruises...were by her hand." Kyoko took a deep breath and let it out. "I came to Tokyo to run away from her. Of course, I did not come alone..." She said, closing her eyes and related her story.

Ren was angry. Oh yes, he was furious. The name Fuwa Sho did not ring a bell but Ren hated the guy's guts already. _What a disgrace to all men!_ _How could he treat a girl like that? _He could tell the president felt the same as he saw the dark expression on his face. However they kept their anger intact for the sake of the young girl in front of them. Silent tears were falling down her cheek.

Ren cautiously made his way towards her and crouched down. He opened his arms and prepared to comfort her but stopped when he remembered her reaction earlier. He hesitated and was bringing his arms back when Kyoko suddenly flung herself into his lap and started crying uncontrollably. Ren turned to Lory with a helpless expression and the president sighed.

After a few minutes, the sobs gradually subsided to be replaced with soft breathing. As gently as he could, Ren picked up Kyoko bridal-style and walked towards her bedroom with Lory behind him. It shocked Ren just how light the girl felt in his arms, almost like there was nothing there. Lory opened the door to the room for him as he gently placed her on the bed and pulled the covers on top of her. She immediately curled into them and turned on her side.

Ren was just about to exit the room when he accidentally caused a notebook on the side table to fall to the ground open. He bent down to pick it up but stopped at what he saw. It was a sketch of a man that looked almost realistic and it had rips through it as if someone was scratching at it.

Ren picked up the notebook gently and flipped through the notebook. There were numerous drawings and most of them were of the same guy. All the pictures that had the guy in it were all ripped and Ren knew immediately who it was. _Fuwa Sho..._

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><p><strong><em>Please review! I love your feedback :D Hope you enjoyed it :)<em>**

**_P.S The song in this chapter is Rihanna - Take a Bow_**


	5. Chapter 5: Loss of Trust

_**So I know it's been AGESSS since I last updated and I'm soooooooooooo sorry...I had uni and exams and not to mention my grandpa passed away :/ anyways I don't know when I'll be able to update next but I'll try. Thank you everyone for their support~~**_

**_Disclaimer: I do not own skip beat and I wish I did. the artist is way too awesome =D_**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Loss of Trust<strong>

The silence around the room was tense. Kyoko sat looking down at the ground not daring to look up into the face of the intimidating owner of Darumayu. It had been almost four days since Kyoko had last seen the couple at Darumayu so she decided to pay them a visit. Lory and Ren both made time in their busy schedules to go along with her.

However when she arrived at the Darumayu, the reaction was very different to what Kyoko had expected. They treated her as a customer and did not seem to recognize her. Even when Kyoko revealed herself they still seemed to be in disbelief. Only when she demonstrated the infamous Katsura (though it did take a lot of persuasion to let Lory and Ren trust her with a knife) did they believe her which then led to this overwhelming tension. Perhaps it was due to her new look or her lack of optimism that Taishou and Mary were both shocked, Kyoko did not know.

"Where are you staying now, Kyoko?" Mary asked politely. She could not believe that this was the same Kyoko who came to work just a few days ago. This girl had a totally different look and personality. Kyoko opened her mouth to speak but Lory interrupted her. "Kyoko is staying with me, my dear lady." Lory said with a big smile. Mary turned to him with a surprised look. "Y-You are?"

Suddenly the sound of a fist banging the table sounded throughout the small room startling everyone. Kyoko glanced up straight into the angry face of Taishou. "So this is how it is...I never knew you were that kind of girl!" Taishou exclaimed, his eyes skirting over Lory and Ren. Kyoko's expression turned to one of confusion while the other three people gasped around her. "My dear, you are not trying to imply that Kyoko would..." Mary trailed off unable to finish her sentence. It was a few moments before realization hit Kyoko as her eyes widened. She stared at the man in front of her in disbelief. Her mouth opened and closed several times without uttering a sound.

Finally Kyoko closed her eyes and breathed in deeply as she stood up with a bow. "Yes...I am sorry to disappoint you. It is nice to see that you are well again." She said turning around to give a bow towards Mary. Without a second glance, Kyoko exited the house. Ren stood up hurriedly and was prepared to run after Kyoko when Lory grabbed his arm to stop him. Lory's face held no emotion as he turned to Taishou. "For your information, Kyoko is not pregnant and she is not a mistress. I cannot believe that you claim to know her so well yet doubt her!" Lory said, his voice increasing in volume.

Mary immediately rushed forward and grabbed her husband's arm to prevent him from doing anything stupid. "I am sure my husband did not mean it that way! Kyoko is a dear girl to us and we care for her a lot...but her sudden transformation is a lot to take in..." Mary said, her voice fading near the end. Lory quickly took a few deep breaths as Ren stepped forward to speak. "Kyoko has been through a lot for the past few days. We suggested that it would be wise for her to stay at home and rest yet she insisted on coming to see you. She did not want to see you two worry over her. If we knew that this was the sort of concern you would show, we would have never brought her here." Ren said angrily.

As he finished speaking, Lory stood up beside him. "There is no need for you to worry about Kyoko anymore. She is now in my care and I will take good care of her. I will pay for her schooling and other daily necessities." Lory said curtly and turned towards the door when Mary called him back. She exchanged a look with her husband before turning to Lory with a puzzled expression. "Schooling? But Kyoko does not go to school..." Ren and Lory's eyes widened in surprise at Mary's words. "What do you mean she does not go to school?"

Her tears had dried up on the way back though the hurt was still there. There were a lot of people in LME yet she did not seem to notice. Her goal was the music studio she was so familiar with. She made her way down a corridor with numerous doors around her.

"Who brought this kid along!?"

Kyoko stopped just outside of an open room as she heard the angry voice. She took a few steps inside and saw a tall girl with dark brown hair holding a small blonde-haired girl roughly by the arm in the middle of the room.

"This is a serious competition for me! You either eat or get eaten! There is no mercy!" The girl shouted while looking around frantically. A lot of the other women were staring to whisper and mutter about her. Kyoko couldn't help but roll her eyes. _She prides herself much..._

"Where the hell is the mother!? The mother!"

Kyoko was just about to continue walking when she realized that the atmosphere was a bit too silent. She turned back and saw the tall girl staring at her with fury. "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" The girl shouted as she pushed the little blonde-haired girl roughly towards Kyoko. Kyoko stared at her in confusion. "She is not my daughter." The tall girl stalked towards Kyoko while pointing her finger. "Sure she isn't!" The girl said before sniffing the air and wrinkling her nose in disgust. "You smell like a middle-class peasant! Stop it immediately!"

Kyoko lifted one of her eyebrows in amusement. "I apologize but I do not think I can help smelling like a 'middle-class peasant'." She said hearing a small giggle from the small girl in her arms. The tall girl shook her head furiously. "No! In this place, the air has to burn and fizzle so, spare me your ordinary atmosphere! You're damn annoying and you make me mad!" The girl yelled her face inches from Kyoko. She then gave Kyoko a rough push causing her to fall on the ground with the child in her arms. "You and that kid, get out of my sight now!"

Soon Kyoko found herself surrounded by several women all fussing around the little girl in her arms. Her eyes narrowed slightly. _Why do I need to be told that by a stranger? Who does she think she is...? _ No one could see the small Kyoko-like demon rising up from behind Kyoko with the word 'Rage' imprinted on its chest. Suddenly the sound of crying caught Kyoko's attention knocking her out of her reverie. She then realized that the little girl was no longer in her arms but had somehow crawled to the middle of the room. The girl was balling her eyes out while all the women around her were giving her utmost attention.

Kyoko stared at the small girl with a look of hurt in her eyes. She stood up and walked determinedly towards the small girl before leaning down and pulling at the girl's cheeks roughly, stretching them. Gasps sounded from around the room and as the girl screamed out in pain.

"How evil! How could she do that to a crying girl!?"

"What a devil!"

Kyoko stood back up to her full height and looked down at the girl staring at her with horrified eyes. The corners of Kyoko's mouth lifted up into a smirk. "Little girl, do you think that when a woman or kid cries that someone will automatically come to help them...?" The little girl's eyes widened at the question. Kyoko did not wait for an answer but merely turned around and walked out of the room when suddenly the door closed shut in her face.

"Ladies, please get into two lines in the right order!"

A short man said as she walked into the room and bustled about to get the women together. Kyoko found herself being pushed by all the women into line. She struggled but the women around her did not leave her alone. Soon she was pushed helplessly into another room. Kyoko did not notice the little girl staring at her with a devilish smile.

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><p><em><strong>so that's it for this chapter. what do y'all think? don't forget to review and again i apologize for the lateness. on a side note what does everyone think of the last two recent skip beat chapters? <em><strong>(195 and 196 to be exact) <strong>_damn hot i swear xD **_


	6. Chapter 6: Casting of Horror

**OMG I know it's been a long time since I posted anything and so because of that I shall post up a double chapter (the second one will be within 2 hours). Thank you again for the reviews and likes :D**

***Disclaimer***

**I do not own Skip Beat and if I did, Ren and Kyouko would have made out long ago :3**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 6: Casting of Horror<span>**

"First of all ladies, please get on stage. Contestants 31-46 in the front row, the others behind." The short man shouted as he ushered the women up the stairs to the stage before receiving a microphone from one of the technical staff.

Kyoko had no idea what was happening. She was now standing in the last row on a stage with all the women chatting around her. She stood on her tip toes to catch a glimpse but saw no one except for four men sitting in a row with an empty seat in the middle.

"After the introduction of the judges, you will all be introducing yourself one after another." The man said before walking to the long table near him. "So, second from the left we have Sawara, the head of the talent department." The man clapped along with the women as Sawara gave a smile and a wave. Kyoko watched as the man introduced the other judges whose names were Nakazawa and Matsushima and an unimportant unemployed person. They were both in charge of important departments in the L.M.E while the unimportant person was no longer working for the company.

Suddenly there was the sound of drums playing and loud chanting causing the auditorium to tremble. All the women covered their ears and looked on petrified as a group of tribal women and men appeared. The men were beating on what seemed to be bongos while the women were shaking their hips vigorously. Kyoko raised an eyebrow as a familiar man appeared wearing a pointed hat and matching poncho and pants.

"And now, the most important person and judge of today...May I present to you, the president of L.M.E productions." The man said into the microphone with an embarrassed face as he quickly clapped and moved to the side. The president gave a short bow and gave a flap of his poncho while taking out a microphone in his sleeve.

"I am Lory Takarada." Lory said in a deep voice as he threw his hat up into the air. "I greet you, my ladies." He said stretching his hand out in a pose. Kyoko's eyes widened as she took in the man in front of her._ Is this really the same man who has been caring for me the last couple of days?_

Kyoko watched as the contestant onstage tap danced. This was already the third girl who tap danced. The girls around her were muttering the same thing. Everyone clapped in respect as the girl walked off the stage. Next up, Kyoko recognized the girl as the one who yelled at her angrily before in the waiting room.

"Ah, it's the hellcat who pushed that child!" A woman beside Kyoko exclaimed. Kyoko turned her eyes back to the stage just as the girl closed the book that she was given to memorize. She handed it back to the man in front of her.

"I have memorized it." The girl said and bowed her head slightly. One of the judges stood up and walked forward. Kyoko remembered his name to be Matsushima, the head of the acting department. "Very well, from page 154 line three please." Matsushima said. The girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After a few moments she opened her eyes and started to speak. "According to the street sign, after three blocks, I arrived at a district filled with a bustling crowd. This is the Broadway..."

Kyoko watched in amazement as the girl continued reciting the book for what seemed like forever until the judges stopped her. She saw the surprised looks on all the judges' faces plus the huge smile that Lory had. For some reason, Kyoko felt happy seeing his smile though she did not know why.

"That girl is pretty extraordinary. I bet she'll be the one the judges will remember the most..." One of the women next to Kyoko said in a heavy tone while the others nodded their heads in agreement. "Who else is up?" Lory asked as he leaned back in his seat. Sawara looked through a pile of papers in front of him while one of the staff moved to the waiting room. "According to this, Kanae Kotonami was the last one..."

Kanae smiled a triumphant smile as she walked into the waiting room. _I am convinced that I have the best chance of qualifying!_ Her eyes then locked onto a figure with dark blue hair who was peeking around the door. Kanae's eyes immediately narrowed. Idiot...A girl like that will have no talent! A smirk played on Kanae's lips as she folded her arms across her chest.

Thinking that it was finally over, Kyoko started to turn around when suddenly she felt herself being pulled by the arm. She felt a sense of fear and struggled in vain as the man pulled her onto the stage. Don't hurt me... However before Kyoko could panic, the man released her. She squinted her eyes at the blinding light that was shone at her and saw all the judges looking at her while Lory looked surprised. "This girl has not performed yet." The short man said before walking down the stairs leaving Kyoko along on the stage.

Sawara and Nakazawa flipped through their papers with a confused expression. "This isn't right...Who is that girl?" Sawara asked looking to his colleagues who all shook their heads and shrugged. Nakazawa leaned forward to the small microphone situated in front of him. "And who might you be?" He asked. Lory watched as Kyoko jumped in surprise looking around for the source of the voice. He felt a small smile tug at his lips. Her eyes then landed on Nakazawa and her expression became apologetic. "I am sorry...My name is Kyoko...I'll be on my way now..." She said softly and turned around.

"Kyoko, what is your favourite hobby? Playing, singing, acting?" Lory quickly asked, snatching the microphone from Nakazawa surprising him. Kyoko turned and fixed her eyes on Lory. She hesitated and spoke after a few moments. "Playing...and singing." Her voice was barely audible but Lory must have heard it as he nodded and clicked his hands in the air. Suddenly the floor on the right side of the stage opened up and a white grand piano forte appeared with a microphone. Kyoko's gasp could be heard even from the waiting room. She immediately ran towards it and stretched her hands outwards but stopped just a few inches away. She turned to Lory who was smiling at her.

"Why don't you sing something for us?" He asked gently keeping his eyes on Kyoko. The other judges gave him an odd look but did not question him. Kyoko hesitated. She was not comfortable with singing in front of other people. Ren had been the only exception for the past few days. Even Lory had not seen her sing. People always told her that her voice was ugly and that she couldn't sing. Only Ren had told her otherwise. What would the judges, especially Lory think...?

Finally taking a deep breath, Kyoko ran her hand down the side of the piano. She slowly took a seat in front of the piano and lifted the cover. _But I want to know his opinion of me..._ She closed her eyes and placed her hands on the cold keys.

_You had a lot of dreams that transform to visions_

_The fact that you saw the world affected all your decisions_

_But it wasn't your fault_

_Wasn't in your intentions_

Her voice was soft to begin with but soon she had forgotten that she had an audience. The judges including Lory had surprise written all over their faces. "That girl..." Nakazawa started but never finished as Kyoko continued.

_You never credit yourself so when you got older_

_It seems like you came back ten times over_

_Now you're sitting here in this damn corner_

_Looking through all your thoughts and looking over your shoulder_

Lory could hear the truth in the words and pain in her voice. It tore at his heart and made him tear up. "How can a girl be so broken...?" He muttered though no one heard him as they were all concentrating on the performance. In the waiting room, almost all the women had scrambled to the backstage of the auditorium to get a closer glimpse except for Kanae who was in shock. H-How can that girl...? She quickly ran forward and pushed her way through the ladies to get to the front.

_You had a lot of moments that didn't last forever_

_Now you in the corner trying to put it together_

_Never really had luck, couldn't never figure out_

_How to...love..._

The last note came out much later than it normally would but no one except for Lory and Kanae seemed to have noticed. Everyone in the auditorium clapped enthusiastically and the judges had risen to their feet except for Lory.

"Okay ladies, if you would all please get ready for the second round. It will begin in ten minutes." The short man shouted. One by one the ladies went back into the waiting room talking amongst themselves. However Kanae remained for she had just seen something shiny fall down the girl's left cheek that was hidden from the light. She's crying...

Kyoko did not move from the piano. She was still staring at it. Tears were falling silently down her face. She made sure they fell on the side that was hidden from the judges. After a few moments she stood up and closed the cover on the piano. Giving a bow to the judges, Kyoko made her way into the waiting room.

"That performance...was interesting." Kanae said to the dark-blue haired girl as she walked past her. The girl turned her eyes to Kanae. The two girls stared at each other for a while until the girl nodded her head and said a soft thanks. "Such a performance at a casting like this will make everyone remember it." Kanae said, tilting her head high to the side while folding her arms.

Kyoko stared at the dark brown-haired girl in front of her. "Are you jealous of me?" She asked. Immediately Kanae turned to her angrily. "Who are you calling jealous!? I will never be jealous of someone like you!" She exclaimed. "Don't go making stupid assumptions with that pig brain of yours." The girl paused for a moment before continuing. "I'll predict that you will be the first to fail while I will emerge as the most promising rising star." The girl said as she giggled before walking away.

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><p><strong>That's it for this chapter, please do review! I love to know what your thoughts are but please keep the flames down...I'm scared of fire :3<strong>

**P.S The song in this chapter is Lil Wayne - How to Love**


	7. Chapter 7: Unwelcome Memories

**As promised~ **

***Disclaimer***

**I do not own Skip Beat, wish I did though :3**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 7: Unwelcome Memories<strong>

Back in the waiting room, Kyoko was surprised to see that the contestants had dwindled down to half the number it was before. She supposed that either the contestants were really bad or the judges were just too strict. Just when she decided to take a seat, the short man came back into the room to make an announcement. "The second round will be starting shortly. Can all contestants please make their way on stage and take a seat in the row of chairs? Thank you." The man then moved aside while pushing open the double doors. Kyoko watched as everyone eagerly made their way through the doors but she waited until she was the last one before following suit. Upon reaching the stage, there was only one seat remaining and it was right next to the dark brown-haired girl. Cursing her luck, Kyoko kept her eyes down and quickly made her way to the available seat. Once she had sat down, the short man made his way to the front of the stage with a cell phone in his hand.

"The second round is a reaction test. Through this hand phone, a partner will be talking to you. Please try to react accordingly." The man said while holding up the mobile in his hand. He then moved to the end of the row opposite Kyoko and handed the mobile to the woman sitting there. The woman took the phone hesitantly and stood up with shaking knees. "Hello?" There was a short silence before the woman's eyes widened in surprise. "Eh..?! Uh…" She seemed a loss at what to say in reply to whatever was said to her over the phone. Unfortunately for the woman, the short man came forward and asked for the phone back when the judges shook their heads at her performance. Before Kyoko could see what else happened, the dark brown-haired girl next to her spoke up in a small whisper.

"Did you know it's said that the actual LME audition begins here? The tests so far have been the same as previous years…" Kyoko made no reply but she didn't need to as the next contestant over butted into the non-existent conversation. "But from now, the tests will differ?" The dark brown-haired girl looked down at her nails with a bored expression. "That's because the president chooses them personally." At this, Kyoko found her interest peaked and she glanced towards Lory's direction. He had his full attention on the current contestant but what threw her off was the wide smile on his face. She had never seen him smile so happily before and it somehow warmed her cold heart.

Before she could comprehend it, the phone had somehow made its way to her end of the row. The girl next to her stood up with utmost confidence and took the phone from the man with a short bow. Kyoko turned to glance at the girl and though she could not hear anything said from the phone, the facial expressions the girl had were more than enough. Mesmerised, Kyoko watched as the girl's expression suddenly changed to one of pure happiness. A few moments after, tears fell from the girl's eyes without delay. "I'm so happy." She said over the phone with a tender smile and Kyoko found herself unable to look away. _How? How did that girl manage to look so happy? _

The rest of the contestants were murmuring amongst themselves while the judges were nodding their heads in agreement and in awe. When the phone was pulled away from her ear, the girl's demeanour changed immediately and she turned to Kyoko with the phone outstretched. "Here, it's your turn." Kyoko was still shocked by the performance of the girl. "A chameleon…" It was only when she heard the giggles that she realized she had spoken her thoughts out loud. The dark brown-haired girl gave her an unimpressed look before dropping the phone into Kyoko's lap. Realizing she had no escape in the situation, Kyoko hesitantly stood up holding the phone in her hands. She gave a short bow towards the judges, avoiding eye contact with Lory. "Please support me…"

Seeing that it was Kyoko's turn, Lory found himself anticipating her performance until something abruptly occurred to him. Acting quickly, he grabbed the sheet of phone conversations from Nakazawa and scanned it hurriedly before his eyes widened. He quickly motioned towards the attendant but it was too late as Kyoko had already placed the phone to her ear. With concern and anxiety etched in his face, Lory leaned forward onto the table with his hands clasped together tightly as he waited anxiously.

When Kyoko placed the phone to her ear, she did not know what to expect from it. A male voice sounded from the phone that struck a chord of familiarity inside of her along with something else. "I was such an idiot…" Kyoko's eyes widened at the words spoken but she had no time to think on it as the voice spoke again. "I've been out with a lot of women since then but somehow, it just didn't work out. They tell me that I'm too difficult to handle due to my ego." An image of Sho appeared in her head at the word 'ego' for it was the only word that could describe him so perfectly. Kyoko continued to remain silent as the voice continued speaking though emotions were welling up inside of her. "So then, I realised just how much you loved me from the beginning. For me, you are the only one…"

Memories that she would rather have forgotten replayed in her mind unbidden. Kyoko remembered all the things she did for Sho and how much he meant to her before. "I'm aware that I'm rushing, forgive me." Unbeknownst to her, Kyoko's whole body was trembling with the weight of her emotions and an ultra dark aura surrounded her. "But could we give us another go?" The voice on the phone said not realizing what pain was being caused. Kyoko felt like her whole being was getting torn in half and she forgot that it was just a test. "I'm so happy…I have waited for you to ask me back…" Kyoko paused as tears sprung to her eyes while her body shook harder. "Did you expect me to reply as such? After all you put me through?" She clutched the phone tightly in her hand, turning her knuckles white.

Lory immediately bounded up from his seat, causing the chair to fall to the wooden floor before rushing up to Kyoko's side. "Kyoko?" He called but to his dismay, she did not answer nor did she seem to notice his presence. "How can I forgive you?" Her voice was merely a whisper as her eyes lowered to the ground. Suddenly her eyes lifted and stared straight at Lory fiercely. "Tell me, how can I forgive you!? You broke my heart…" Kyoko said the last part while clutching her chest in pain. Seeing her in such a state caused Lory's heart to ache and it was all he could do to not let the tears fall. "I have lost myself…" Kyoko whispered, finally releasing the phone from her grasp and letting it crash to the ground in pieces.

The whole auditorium went so quiet that you could almost hear a pin drop. Lory softly but firmly grasped Kyoko by her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. When she met his eyes, he cursed inwardly at the emptiness of presence. It was very much reminiscent of the day when he found her on the street. Just as he was about to speak up, Kyoko pulled herself from his grasp and quietly walked off the stage zombie-like. Lory made to follow her but was soon stopped by Sawara. "Sir, there are other things to be dealt with. Leave the girl be." The president turned to see curious stares in his direction and he sighed. Standing up, he clicked his fingers once and his loyal servant Sebastian appeared beside him seemingly out of nowhere. Lory turned to him and lowered his voice to a whisper so that others could not hear. "Find Ren and tell him what happened. Make sure he goes to find her." Sebastian nodded once and soon disappeared. Straightening himself up, Lory turned back to the contestants with a big wide smile. "Well done everyone. Now onto the results…"

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><p><strong>Well that's it, I look forward to your reviews~<strong>


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